If you're a Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC) in Michigan, clinical supervision is part of your journey toward becoming a fully Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).
But here's something we don't always talk about enough: just because you're attending supervision doesn't necessarily mean you're getting everything you could out of it.
I've worked with clinicians who arrive at supervision with detailed case notes, questions about interventions, and updates on their clients. And those things are important.
But clinical supervision isn't supposed to be an hour of reporting everything that happened since your last session.
It's an opportunity to develop your clinical judgment, strengthen your professional identity, explore your reactions, and become more intentional about the work you're doing.
So, what should you actually be bringing to supervision?
1. The Clinical Decisions You're Second-Guessing
You know that moment after a session when you think, Should I have said something different?
Maybe you challenged a client and weren't sure how they received it. Maybe you chose not to address something because you weren't confident it was the right time. Or maybe you tried an intervention that didn't quite land the way you expected.
Bring THAT to supervision.
You don't need to wait until something goes wrong to talk about your clinical decisions.
In fact, some of the most valuable supervision conversations come from exploring decisions that were perfectly reasonable but could have been approached differently.
The goal isn't always to identify the right answer. It's to strengthen your ability to think critically about the options available to you.
2. Your Reactions to Clients (Yes, Even the Uncomfortable Ones)
Let's be realistic.
You're a human being working with other human beings.
You're going to have reactions to your clients.
Sometimes you'll feel frustrated. Sometimes you'll feel protective. Sometimes you'll find yourself looking forward to working with a particular client, or feeling anxious before another client's appointment.
You might notice that a client's experience reminds you of something personal. You might even find yourself wanting to give advice rather than helping the client arrive at their own conclusions.
These reactions don't automatically mean you're doing something wrong.
But they are worth paying attention to.
Clinical supervision should provide a space to explore countertransference, boundaries, and the ways your personal experiences may influence your clinical work.
The important part isn't pretending you don't have reactions. It's developing enough awareness to recognize how those reactions might affect the therapeutic relationship.
3. The Questions You Think You Should Already Know the Answers To
I wish more new clinicians knew this:
Graduating with a counseling degree doesn't mean you're supposed to know how to handle every clinical situation.
You're still learning.
And honestly? So are the rest of us.
Maybe you're unsure how to document a particular situation. Maybe you're struggling to determine when a referral is appropriate. Maybe you're wondering whether you're doing enough in sessions with a client who doesn't talk much.
Those are supervision questions.
You don't need to make your questions sound more sophisticated or wait until you've figured out part of the answer on your own.
One of the purposes of supervision is to help you bridge the gap between what you learned in graduate school and what happens when you're sitting across from an actual client.
4. Your Professional Development, Not Just Your Caseload
Clinical supervision isn't only about the clients you're treating today.
It's also about the clinician you're becoming.
What populations do you enjoy working with? What clinical skills do you want to develop? Are there therapeutic approaches you're curious about?
Maybe you're discovering that you love working with adolescents. Or perhaps you're realizing that the type of work you thought you wanted to do isn't quite what you expected.
Those conversations belong in supervision, too.
Your supervisor can help you identify training opportunities, explore areas of specialization, and think about how your professional interests align with your long-term career goals.
Becoming an LPC isn't simply about accumulating supervised experience hours.
It's about developing the knowledge, skills, and professional confidence to practice independently.
5. The Things That Aren't Going Well
This one matters.
Sometimes clinicians hesitate to bring up difficult situations because they're worried about how their supervisor will respond.
Maybe you made a documentation error. Maybe you missed something important in an assessment. Maybe you handled a conversation with a client in a way you wish you hadn't.
It's understandable to feel uncomfortable discussing those situations.
But avoiding them doesn't help you grow.
Supervision should be a place where you can acknowledge mistakes, receive constructive feedback, and develop a plan for moving forward.
That doesn't mean every situation will be consequence-free. Supervisors have ethical and professional responsibilities, particularly when client safety is involved.
It does mean that the supervision relationship should support honesty, accountability, and learning rather than encouraging clinicians to hide their uncertainty.
You should be able to say, "I think I messed this up," and know that the next step is figuring out what needs to happen.
How to Prepare for Your Next Clinical Supervision Session
You don't need to create an elaborate agenda for every supervision meeting.
But taking five minutes before your session to reflect on your work can make a meaningful difference.
Consider these questions:
What clinical situation has stayed on my mind since my last supervision session?
Was there a moment when I felt uncertain about a decision I made?
Did I notice any strong emotional reactions to a client or clinical situation?
Is there something I'm avoiding bringing up because I feel embarrassed or uncomfortable?
What's one skill I'd like to feel more confident using?
You don't have to bring all five.
Start with one.
And remember, if you're facing an urgent client safety or ethical concern, don't wait until your next scheduled supervision session to seek appropriate consultation or take necessary action.
A Final Thought About Clinical Supervision
When I think about what makes clinical supervision valuable, I don't think it's the supervisor having all the answers.
I think it's the relationship that allows a developing clinician to ask better questions, explore different perspectives, and become more confident in their ability to make thoughtful clinical decisions.
Good supervision should challenge you.
It should support you.
And it should give you room to be a developing clinician without feeling like you have to perform competence every time you walk into the room.
You don't have to know everything to become a good therapist. But you do have to be willing to keep learning.
And that's what supervision is for.
Looking for Clinical Supervision in Michigan?
At The Michigan LPC Supervisor, we provide individual and group clinical supervision for Michigan Limited Licensed Professional Counselors working toward full LPC licensure.
Our approach emphasizes professional growth, clinical confidence, thoughtful case consultation, and a supportive supervision relationship where questions and honest conversations are welcome.
Whether you're beginning your supervised experience or looking for a supervision relationship that supports your professional development, we'd love to connect.
Learn More About Michigan LPC Supervision
Elizabeth Carr, MA, LPC, NCC, ACS
The Michigan LPC Supervisor
